Love, Lies, and Pain
by jyvonne13
Summary: Fidella Manos has been abused by her boyfriend for two years and she finally gets the courage to leave. but when she meets someone on the street will this be the start of love?
1. Leaving

Okay so, i do not own Bratz what so ever. A couple of the characters in the story are mine (i.e. the main character) but other than that i don't own anything...and i don't own Manhattan either (jk)

* * *

Leaving

Fidella walked through the door of her boyfriend's dark house. She'd been out late and just prayed that he wouldn't be too mad at her.

Suddenly the light flipped on illuminating the hallway and her tall black haired boyfriend in grey sweat pants and a green t-shirt. "Where the hell have you been?" The expression on his face made her predict the worst.

"I, um, went out for a jog," Fidella said pausing in her tracks.

"Oh really, then why were you back so late, you're not telling me the whole truth," Eithan said coming closer to her.

Fidella started shaking and her breathing sped up a little. "I did. I-I did go out for a jog, then I went to Sasha's." He grabbed onto her shoulders and a menacing sneer was on his face. Fidella cringed away. "That's all I was doing, I-I swear."

"Somehow I don't believe you Fidella; I know you're lying to me, maybe because you're stuttering? And you know what happens when you lie to me and you don't obey me." He gripped her shoulders tighter.

"Yes..."

He glanced at the topaz cross she wore around her neck. "Why the hell do you wear that?"

She touched it gently. "My mother gave this to me…"

"Well you shouldn't wear it. It's a more of a setback for the little bit of beauty you have." She tried to back away fearing he'd break it but it was too late. He grabbed the cross and she held her neck as the chain bit into her neck. Then he yanked it off and she shrieked in pain. He tossed the broken necklace across the floor. Before she could react, he gripped her shoulder again and gave her an evil glare.

"Now do you wanna tell me the truth?" Eithan asked menacingly.

"Eithan I swear, I didn't go anywhere else!"

"Liar!" Then he smacked her in the face. She stumbled backwards and clutched her burning face and trying to regain her balance. He pulled her back to him holding her arm so tightly it hurt. "You really wanna lie to me? You just told me you know what happens when you lie to me right Fidella?"

"Yes." He pushed her down and she landed on the floor hitting her shoulder hard on the wood.

"Yes who?" Eithan shouted.

Fidella was suddenly aware of the tears forming in her eyes. "Y-yes Eithan," she said quietly. She covered her face as the tears started to fall.

"Quit crying Fidella!" He kicked her in the stomach and she cried out in pain and held her stomach feeling winded. He went into the kitchen and she lay on the floor crying. He came back with a can of beer.

"Why do you do this to me?" she asked through her tears.

"Fidella you are _nothing_ to me. You were a fool to think that I actually loved you. You're weak! And all you are to me is just some girl that'll do whatever I want." He kicked her in the stomach again and laughed as she shrieked in pain. She didn't know what hurt more, the way he kicked her or his comments.

He knelt down to her. "Look at me!" She looked up at him with tears pouring down her face and he stroked her wet cheek. "I'm gonna go to Bryan's house to play poker. Don't expect me back until late." He hit her face again, not as hard as before but still pretty hard, and she whimpered. Then he stood up, took another sip from his beer then dropped it on her and it cut her face.

She put her hand over the blood pouring from her cheek. "Ow," she said so he couldn't hear her.

He belted out a laugh then walked out the door slamming it hard behind him making her shake slightly as he did.

She lay on the floor curled into a ball and cried for a few more minutes. She felt so weak and brittle from being kicked in the stomach so much she knew she'd just fall right back down if she tried to stand. She slowly removed her hand from her burning and bleeding face and found her hand covered in blood. The blood now leaked down her cheek so she put her hand back over it. She crawled over to the hallway table and gripped onto it so tightly her knuckles turned white and pulled herself up with shaking knees.

She slowly walked upstairs trying to keep her balance. Then she went to the bathroom and fixed up the cut on her face the best she could. Then she threw herself onto the bed and cried. All of this hitting and being cursed at and beaten, this had been happening to her every day for two years. At first, she thought she loved him, he was the cute guy at the mall with the leather jacket, but then he showed his true self. At first, he would apologize for it and it would all be forgiven until he did it again but then he even stopped doing that. Not only this but he'd go out to the clubs with other women behind her back. It wasn't like her to take shit like that from anyone so she did try to leave. _Try_. If she did try he'd hurt her more and threaten her, he'd already threatened her with a knife more than once. No one else knew what was going on because of course if he ever found out he'd do something terrible.

Fidella lay on the bed in the bedroom that she shared with him wiping her tears away. Her crying was going down. She knew she deserved better than this. She didn't want to be here dealing with all the grief, and the depression, and the agonizing pain he caused her. She was only twenty-three and she'd already had the worst experience anyone could imagine.

She sat up realizing she was right. She did deserve better than this and she was going to get better. She stood up and pulled a suitcase out of the closet. She stuffed it with her clothes, hygienic stuff. She put in her a few of her books (she had a lot of books and they'd all never fit). She found the silver doll that her mom had given her and she kept special along with her necklace. It was the counterpart of her sisters golden angel. She put as much of her stuff in her suitcase that could fit (and she didn't have that much stuff).

She touched her chest where her necklace should be but it wasn't there and she felt naked without it. She remembered Eithan had yanked it off. She went back into the hallway and found the topaz cross lying in a corner on the floor. The chain was broken so she replaced it with a chain from another one of her necklaces, it didn't match, but it would have to do until she could replace it.

Then she grabbed a granola bar form the kitchen and left the house.

Even though she was death afraid of being caught by Eithan she went on. She didn't know where she was going. It was after ten o clock at night, pitch dark outside except for the street lights. She managed to make her way onto the main road and then into the area with all the shopping centers, and mall, and restaurants, etc.

She checked her watch. She'd been walking for over two hours and figured she must've covered at least six miles on foot. She let herself smile proudly. Her feet were killing her though and she hadn't taken a break since she started. So she sat down to take a break. The streets were still full of the hustle and bustle Manhattan, New York had at this time of night. She leaned her head back on the bench and closed her eyes. She was tired, she was weak, her legs hurt her more the longer she sat, and she still didn't know where the hell she was going. She'd camp out on some bus if it came down to it. Until then she stood up and continued walking.

Then she ran into someone and was knocked onto the ground. "Hey, watch it!" She looked up and saw a young man with straight dark hair, thick eyebrows and brown eyes, wearing a blue t-shirt and jeans.

"I'm sorry," he said. He took her hand and helped her up. "Are you okay?"

She brushed herself off not making eye contact with him. "Yeah I'm fine." She started to walk away before she made a complete fool of herself; she was already embarrassed as it was.

He stopped her. "Hey, um, what are you doing out here this late?"

"It doesn't matter. What are _you_ doing out here this late?" she replied harshly.

"I was hanging out with a friend of mine."

The way he said that it made her think, if he has a girlfriend why is he talking to me?

"Not my girlfriend, but one of my best friends," he said as if reading her mind.

She was completely un-amused by this conversation. All she wanted to do now was find some place to say and go to sleep. "Uh-huh. If you'll excuse me, I really have to go."

"Wait," he said stopping her again. She gave him an annoyed look but he wasn't fazed by it. "Do you need a ride?"

She raised her eyebrow. "What are you, the cab around here?"

"No. You just looked like you could use a ride what with that big bag of yours," he said glancing at her suitcase."

"Well…"

"I mean, if you don't want a ride, its fine…"

She would have rather not taken a ride from him but she was really tired and she needed to sit down. If she walked much longer she'd collapse and go to sleep. "Sure, you can give me a ride."

"Cool. My car is this way." He led her down the street and they walked for over five minutes. She started to get frustrated from walking so long.

"Okay we've been walking so long I could have been to where I wanted to go by now. Where is your car?"

"It's over here," he said pointing to a black Hyundai Sonata convertible.

She raised her eyebrows. "Nice car…" she said quietly, it wasn't intended for him to hear but he responded with a "Thanks."

He opened the trunk. "You can put your bag in here." She came over to put her bag in and he was about to help her but she did it herself and closed the door without acknowledging him. He opened the passenger door for her. "Thank you," she said once again without making eye contact with him.

He got in and started the car. "So where are you going?"

She realized she didn't know where she was going. She paused for a moment in thought. Then she realized her sister didn't live too far from there, she'd surely take her in for the night. "Um…do you know where Marble Hill is?"

He nodded. "Yeah, my brother lives down there."

"Well, turn down there and…I'll just tell you from there." She looked out the window just waiting to be at her sister's house and away from harm. She'd been dreading the whole time she was out that Eithan would find her and take her home, and give her the worst beating he'd ever given her.

As for the boy in the driver's seat, he hated silence and especially this one since he had a gorgeous girl in the passenger's seat. He said the first thing that popped into his head. "If you don't mind me asking, what's with the suitcase?"

Fidella continued to look straight ahead. "I'm going to stay at my sister's house for a while and I don't have a car," she explained. It wasn't all a lie.

"Well, sometimes you don't need a car in New York."

"Yeah." He turned onto Marble Hill. "Go straight down and turn right. It'll be the fourth house."

He did so and ended up at a brick house with a small garden in the front, gold shutters, and a silver Corolla in the driveway.

"Thanks for the ride."

"Don't mention it." He unlocked her door for her and she got out. Then he unlocked the trunk and she took her bag out and went to the front door.

He was extremely taken in by her beauty. Her golden brown hair was really long and the ponytail she had it pulled into made her look stunning. And those eyes…those eyes were gorgeous. She looked a little depressed though, like she'd just been hit by the bad luck fairy. He knew he probably came off as a little weird offering to bring her here and they didn't even know each other, but he really wanted to help her. He just wished he could've gotten to know her better. He would if he ever saw her again. _If_ he saw her, Manhattan was a big place and it was likely he wouldn't. He didn't even know her name.

Fidella turned around but the guy was already gone. She felt a certain longing for him to come back. She kind of regretted being as rude as she was, he drove her here after all, but she was just frustrated. She sighed and turned back to the door. Her twenty eight year old sister Fianna opened the door. Fianna was shorter than her with golden brown hair slightly darker than Fidella's and hung over her right eye. Fianna had on a pink robe and blue sweat pants looking very tired.

"Fidella? What are you doing here this late?" Fianna asked rubbing her eyes.

"Can I stay here for a few days?"

"Sure sweetie, come on it." Fidella stepped inside and Fianna locked the door behind her. Fidella put her bag in the living room and both of them sat on the couch. The two of them weren't exactly close but they were always there for each other. "You still didn't answer my question, why are you here?"

Even Fianna didn't know about her situation with Eithan and Fidella planned to keep it that way. "Can't someone drop by to see her sister and her sister's daughter once in a while?"

"Not at one o clock at night, on the most random day, with no call carrying all her stuff in one suitcase she can't! What's really going on?"

Fidella looked down. "Nothing."

"Is it Eithan?"

Fidella glared at her sister. "Would you stop caring so much Fianna? God! I'm tired, I've been walking aimlessly for the past two and a half hours…!"

"Who was the guy that dropped you off?" Fianna asked contradicting her statement.

"I don't know, I ran into him. He just offered to drive me here so I let him."

Fianna looked at her in disbelief. "Fidella you idiot! You know you shouldn't just let random men pick you up off the street! Do you realize that man could've been a rapist? How could you be so careless?"

"Fianna!" Fidella exclaimed annoyed. "I get it already! It was stupid but I'm here now right? I haven't been raped."

"Okay so you didn't answer my other question, is it Eithan?"

Fidella sighed. "Fianna I'm tired, can I go to bed now?"

Fianna rolled at her sister's secretiveness. "Okay. You can sleep on the couch and I'll get you a blanket." She stood up and left the living room.

Fidella lay back on the couch. So, this is what she'd been reduced to, sleeping at her sister's house feeling sad and lonely. The more she lay there the more the pain from earlier that night came back. Her legs were weak and she was suddenly aware of the fading but evident pain in her stomach from when he kicked her all those times. The fear that Eithan might find her was still there, he'd beat her for sure if he did. She didn't plan on staying at her sister's all that long but she didn't know where she'd go if she left. If she got her own place Eithan would eventually find out where she was living. She'd think about all that later. For right now she rolled over on her side and cried out all her pain.

Fianna had been standing at the door the whole time Fidella had been thinking. She saw the pain in her sister's eyes. She saw her hold her stomach as if it were aching. And she saw her start to cry painful tears. She shook her head. She had to find out somehow what was wrong with her so she could help her.

* * *

Poor Fidella. This only gets sadder as the story goes along...


	2. Lies

Lies

Fidella woke up the next morning in an unfamiliar place. She found she was on the couch and the first thing that came through her mind was that Eithan had kicked her out of the bed after their little argument last night and was thanking God he didn't force her to sleep on the floor again. Then she realized she was on her sister's couch and the events of last night came rushing back to her. The abuse she faced, having the courage to leave, the mystery boy she met, and coming to Fianna's house. She buried her face in the pillow and just lay there for a while.

She woke up ten minutes later and got herself a bagel out of the refrigerator and then put up the blanket in the closet. Then she sat on the couch and watched TV for a while. She had no intention of leaving that day for fear of running into Eithan.

She picked up her cell phone on the coffee table and it said she had a new voicemail so she answered it not expecting to hear what it said.

"Fidella, where the hell are you? So you had the nerve to leave huh? Well you'd better damn well believe if you ever haul your sorry ass back over here, or better yet if I even so much as find you, you're gonna get it so bad you'll wish you'd never been born!"

She hung up her phone. Her eyes were wide, her heart was beating fast, and she felt like she'd faint. She sat down on the couch slowly. He had found out. He was possibly looking for her as we speak. When he found her, if he found her, she didn't want to imagine what he'd do to her. She knew one thing; she surely _wasn't_ going back to his house.

Pretty soon the doorbell rang. She found her best friend Yasmin and her sister Gabrielle (who was also a friend of hers). Yasmin gave her a hug. "Hey girl. I've been looking for you."

"What do you mean?"

They went inside. "Well, we went to Eithan's house and he said you were gone and didn't know where you were…"

"Did he say anything else about me?" she asked trying not to let the fear into her voice.

"No, he just said 'if you find her tell her to come home soon'," Yasmin said.

"Then we called your sister," Gabrielle threw in.

"Yeah and she told us you were here," Yasmin finished. "Why aren't you at Eithan's?"

"I just decided to visit my sister and Breena for a few days," Fidella lied.

Yasmin and Gabrielle not being as pressing as Fianna left it at that. Though they weren't as pressing, like Fianna, they had noticed Fidella had been a lot more frail and timid than she used to be. Sometimes it concerned them, but unlike Fianna, they didn't think much of it. They all went to go sit on the couch.

"So Gabrielle, how's college?" Fidella asked. Gabrielle was just ending her first year of college.

"Oh it's just like high school only BETTER! But then you don't have all your old friends but then again you make new ones. And that place it absolutely huge." Fidella and Sasha laughed. Gabrielle was extremely dramatic.

Fidella went into the kitchen to clean her dishes not wanting to be rude and leave them in Fianna's sink and Gabrielle followed her in.

"Gabrielle, when the hell are you gonna get a perm?" she asked. Gabrielle had this long, extremely bushy thick brown hair that was untamable and was right now held back with a purple head band.

"Oh please Della, I don't need a perm, this hair is who I am." She noticed the different chain on her necklace. "What happened to your necklace?"

"Huh? Oh…um…the chain broke." Fidella focused on the sink not looking at Gabrielle.

Gabrielle noticed the cut on her face. "What happened?" she said pointing to it.

Fidella rolled her eyes. "Why do you have the gift for pointing out the tiniest details?"

"I'm serious Della that looks painful."

"I just…I slipped with something sharp okay? That's all." Fidella continued to avoid contact with Gabrielle. She then turned off the water and they went back to the living room where Yasmin was watching Degrassi. They hung around Fianna's house until around three o clock when Fianna got back from work with her daughter Breena.

Breena was four; she had a very loud mouth too, she wasn't afraid to say anything. She looked much like Fianna, she had her cream complexion, she had long golden brown hair which was tied into a ponytail, the only difference was she had her father's eyes but she never knew her father, only for two weeks when she was born but then he left.

"Hey you guys," Fianna said taking Breena out of her stroller.

"Hi!" Breena exclaimed.

"Hey," Yasmin said.

Gabrielle came over and picked up Breena. "Oh Breena, you're getting so big."

"I didn't get bigger since yesterday."

Gabrielle sat in a chair. "You know what I mean."

"When are you gonna straight your hair?" Breena asked. She climbed onto her shoulders and messed with Gabrielle's hair. "I mean Mr. Ducky could make his nest in your head." Breena put her duck (which was clearly a girl) in her hair.

"I told you. Even a four year old noticed," Fidella said.

Yasmin looked at Mr. Ducky. "Don't you mean Miss Ducky?"

"No, Mr. Ducky."

"But the duck is a girl. You can tell with the eyelashes and the bow in its hair."

"No it's a boy! Boys wear bows!" Breena exclaimed.

"Yeah, bow _ties_," Yasmin mumbled.

They sat around the living room for a while longer messing with Breena then Yasmin got a call from their mom telling them to come to her house for dinner.

"I don't wanna go to mom's house, I'm on vacation!" Gabrielle said.

"Too bad Gabs, let's go," Yasmin said. They gave everyone hugs then left.

Fianna felt that she needed to talk to her sister and she really was worried about her, especially after what she saw last night. She made some dinner and soon after they ate it and Breena was occupied with Mr. Ducky and some other toys, she confronted Fidella.

She sat on the couch next to her. "Della, can we talk?"

Fidella looked at her not liking where the whole thing was going. "Um, sure."

"About last night, why did you really come here?"

"I told you, to visit."

"Della, you came here in the middle of the night unexpectedly! If you were coming just to visit wouldn't you have called first?"

"Fianna…it was just…I didn't get to call and, you know I don't have a car…!" Fidella tried to lie. She knew it wasn't working.

"Fidella, I'm your sister, you can trust me," Fianna said compassionately.

"I'm serious Fianna."

Fianna stood up. "Well fine then! Don't tell me! I'm just trying to help!"

"I'm gonna need you to stop being so damn overprotective and leave me alone!" Fidella shouted.

Breena gasped. "Aww, aunt Della cursed!"

"Be like that Della! Don't trust your own family!"

Fidella stood up as well. "I guess I will then!" She stomped off and went upstairs.

Fianna stared after her with a scowl on her face.

"Mommy…"

"Quiet!" Fianna walked past her to the kitchen.

Breena looked at her surprised. "Mommy!"

Fidella went into the bathroom for a shower. For some reason, hot water always made her feel better. She looked in the mirror at the reflection of a distressed, sad, and lonely girl. Her beautiful face still had that cut on it, and her eyes were a little puffy from all the crying she'd been doing lately. She took off her purple tank top and hung it on the towel rack.

That shirt had covered all the scars and bruises on her back. Eithan had not only ruined her emotionally, but physically as well. Those marks were left over from all the beatings and all the times he'd cut her and tortured her. She not only had scars on her back but on other places. There was a mark on her hand from when he'd pushed her and she'd burned it on the stove. She traced the bruise on her hand from that thinking about how much that hurt. She even had a scar on her shoulder from when he'd actually cut her with a knife. Luckily she'd surrendered and he didn't cut her badly.

She took the rest of her clothes off and took a hot shower. All the while she thought about her sister and the argument they just had. She wanted to be open with her, and tell her all about how she was being abused and now threatened if he ever found her but she was still afraid. She couldn't tell her. If Fianna asked about it, she'd just make something up.

She got out of the shower and put on her pajamas then went to go talk to Fianna. She found her in her bedroom in her pajamas reading. Breena was already in bed. She hadn't realized how long she'd been in the bathroom.

She knocked on the door.

"Come in." Fianna looked up from Wuthering Heights and saw Fidella come in. "Hi sweetie."

Fidella sat on the end of her bed. "I'm um, sorry about earlier."

Fianna crawled over next to her. "I'm sorry too. I was being a pest. I just care about you, you know? And after mom died…I promised her I'd take care of you."

"I understand."

"So, when are you going back to Eithans?" Fianna asked.

Fidella sighed. "I'm not."

Fianna raised her eyebrows in surprise. "You…you're breaking up with him?"

Fidella thought about what she was going to say before she spoke to make the lie believable. "No, but everyone has problems in a relationship, right?" She said slowly. "I mean, I couldn't possibly leave Eithan…I love him." That was exceptionally hard for her to say because she'd stopped loving Eithan three weeks after they'd gotten together. "But…I can't just let him provide for me all the time, I need to be independent and I don't wanna mooch off him."

"Where are you gonna go then?" Fianna asked concerned.

Fidella looked down. "I guess I'll just buy my own apartment."

"Della, if it's not working between you and Eithan, break up with him," Fianna said.

For a moment Fidella thought Fianna had figured her out. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, if your love isn't the same as before break up with him."

Fidella shook her head. "I already said; I can't do that." She couldn't bring herself to utter "I love him" as second time.

Fianna sighed. "Just like it was with Marco. I thought I couldn't I needed him, but he left me and Breena…I just don't want you to end up like me: let down."

Oh believe me, I'm way worse off than you, she thought. "I guess we're just a couple of broken hearted sisters."

"Yeah, we are."

* * *

Don't ever lie to your big sister that happens to be shorter than you.


	3. Formal Introduciton

Formal Introduction

The next day Fidella sat on the couch watching TV while Breena played with her toys at her feet. Then Yasmin came through the front door and pulled Fidella up.

"Girl we are going to the mall, now!"

"Now?" Fidella asked. She was still very reluctant to leave the house.

"Yeah, Jade is coming too. Let's go!"

"Um…well I…"

Jade came into their house. "Hey you guys."

Fianna came in. "Oh joy, someone else I have to report for breaking and entering. Let me go call the police," she said sarcastically.

"Oh well, you know, Yasmin here just came to my house while I was asleep and I'm like 'woman, what the fuck?' and she dragged me by my ankles out of the bed…" Jade turned to Fidella. "So are you coming?"

Fidella sighed. "Yeah I guess."

Yasmin put her hand on her shoulder. "Don't look so down, it'll be fun girl."

Fidella tried to smile and try not to look too afraid. "Yeah…sure."

They left Fianna's house and got in Jade's car. "Hey, Della, why are you at Fianna's house?" Jade asked.

Fidella went with the lie she told Fianna. "I just…need some time away from Eithan."

"You're gonna break up with him?"

"Of course not! I just…I just can't mooch off of him for the rest of my life, I need to be independent."

"Does he even know you're at Fianna's because when Gabs and I went there he acted like he didn't know where you were," Yasmin said.

"Oh, um, I told him, he probably just forgot, that's all." Fidella figured she was making herself pretty obvious but Yasmin and Jade didn't try to talk her into telling the truth like Fianna did.

Meanwhile at the mall the guy Fidella met the other day was at the music store with his best friends Koby and Dylan.

"Dude where did you go the other night, you just abandoned me," Dylan said.

"That sounded gay," Koby pointed out.

"You get what I mean!"

"Sorry about that Dyl. I picked up this girl…"

"Oh you picked up a girl? Did you have fun?"

"What? No! Not like that, I took her to her sister's house…"

"You did not!" Koby exclaimed once again getting the wrong idea.

"It wasn't like that either! God, do you guys think about anything else but sex?"

Koby and Dylan were laughing at the whole situation. "Sorry dude, but how are we supposed to take that?" Dylan asked trying to catch his breath.

"What did this chick look like?" Koby asked.

"She was the most beautiful thing in the world. She had _really_ long hair, a nice figure, and those eyes, _those eyes_, they were like the eyes of an angel!"

"You mean like that girl over there?" Koby asked pointing to Fidella and her friends who were just a few yards away.

His mouth dropped. "Yeah her! Gee, what are the odds of meeting her again?"

Dylan put his hand on his shoulder. "Well then go talk to her dude. Work some of your smooth magic."

He removed Dylan's hand. "No way! I probably came off as some kind of weirdo."

"Why would you say that?" Koby asked.

"Koby, if a random guy came up to you in the street and offered you a ride home, what would you do?"

Dylan laughed.

"I'd be pretty disturbed if a _guy_ came up to me in the street and offered me a ride _home_," Koby said. He broke out laughing with Dylan.

"You guys are so wrong…"

Fidella and the girls were walking to DSW. Fidella was starting to feel more comfortable since she hadn't seen Eithan and she was actually starting to enjoy herself.

"You guys wanna know something weird?" she asked.

"What?"

"A few days ago, when I was walking to Fianna's, I ran into this guy."

"Ooh, a guy!" Jade said.

"What, did he ask you out?" Yasmin asked.

"No, he probably wanted to though. But he drove me to her house."

"You let a random guy on the street drive you to your sister's house? He could have been a rapist, or a serial killer, or…"

"Quit sounding like Fianna, he was kinda nice."

"You wanna cheat on Eithan?" Jade exclaimed.

"No! Never!" Fidella would never dream of cheating on Eithan, what if he were to find out. "All I said was he was nice. And anyway, the whole situation was strange. He kept offering to carry my stuff and what not, I kinda felt like he was pestering me."

"Ooh you've got a stalker girl!" Yasmin said giggling.

"Whatever."

"Hey, if you ever meet him again, can you check if he's got some friends?" Jade asked. They gave her a strange look and she just shrugged.

"What did he look like Della?" Yasmin asked.

"Well, he was pretty tall, he had nice dark hair, thick eyebrows, and some gorgeous eyes," Fidella explained.

"Oh you mean like that guy over there?" Yasmin asked pointing to the some guys they were about to pass.

"Yeah! That's him. Gosh that's weird."

"He's cute," Jade said. They stared at her again. "I'm not talking about him, his friend with the buzz cut."

"You should talk to him," Yasmin said.

"I know but what if he already has a girlfriend, that would be _so_ embarrassing," Jade said.

"Not you! Della."

"I couldn't do that, I'm with Eithan," Fidella said.

"True."

"But if you change your mind can you ask him to introduce me to his cute friend?" Jade asked.

Fidella rolled her eyes. "No."

Later that day Fidella was headed to Macy's where she was supposed to be meeting Yasmin and Jade. She'd just been at Claire's checking out something she saw there a few weeks ago but it was gone by now. She was answering a text from Jade, telling her where in the store they'd be and wasn't paying attention to where she was going when she ran into someone.

"Whoa, what the…" she looked up and saw the guy who'd driven her to Fianna's. She was speechless with surprise.

"I'm so sorry," he said. He held out his hand and she took it then he helped her up.

"No, it was my fault." She put her phone back into her pocket. She looked at him still surprised at seeing him again. After a few seconds she figured he thought he was practically mute so she found her voice. "Well…I guess I should go. I'm um, supposed to e meeting my friends at Macy's."

"Do you mind if I walk you?" he asked.

Once again she was surprised but shouldn't have been this time. "Yeah, um, sure you can."

They started walking to Macy's. "You know, I never got your name," he said.

"It's Fidella."

He nodded. "Fidella," he said to himself. "That's really pretty."

"Thanks. My sister and I kind of get complimented a lot for having…strange names."

"What's her name?"

"Fianna."

He nodded again. "Personally I like Fidella better."

She blushed. "What's your name?"

"Braden."

"I like that." They both laughed.

"You know, I saw you earlier with your friends," Braden said.

"You did?" she said.

"Yeah, you walked right past us."

"Oh yeah, I saw you too, but I didn't think you saw me."

"Must have stopped looking, but how could I miss you?" He noticed she was wearing the cross around her neck again. "That's a nice necklace you've got there."

She involuntarily touched it. "Thanks. My mother gave it to me; the chain just broke the other day so I had to replace it." She thought afterwards, why am I telling him all this?

"I can't believe we saw each other again, and at the most random place."

Fidella chuckled slightly. "Yeah, what are the odds?"

All of a sudden he slipped his hand in hers. This also surprised her and she contemplated pulling it back but held his hand back.

Fidella Manos, what are you doing, she thought. You can't possibly get close to this guy! Then you'll fall in love with him, and then when Eithan finds you and him together he'll unleash his fury on both of you! Stop it!

She ignored her conscience; in fact she pretty much didn't hear what it was saying. She just focused on the electricity that went through her as Braden held her hand.

"You know, since you mentioned it, someone like you with the name Fidella and all, probably gets a bunch of compliments all the time."

This made her blush. "That's far from the truth."

"I wouldn't think so after meeting you."

She blushed more and could've sworn her face looked like a tomato by now. "You really think so?"

"Why do you always sound so surprised?" he asked with a chuckle.

"I don't know, I guess, like I said before, I don't really get complimented like this a lot."

They were nearing Macy's now, they just had to go down the escalator and go a little ways right.

Braden was really starting to like her. She acted a bit nicer and less stressed out than the last time he'd seen her. Aside from how beautiful she was, she had an interesting personality. He wanted to ask her out, but maybe she didn't like him like that, after all, they didn't know each other all that well. But he somehow knew he just couldn't ignore this, it might be the start of something.

He stopped walking at the end of the escalator. "Hey, Fidella, do you want to maybe go out sometime?"

Fidella was, once again very surprised. Someone actually wanted to go out with her, for real reasons this time other than to hurt her. It amazed her because Eithan had always told her she was worthless and unattractive, and that no one would ever want to go with her and even he didn't, so she soon believed it. But then there was the possibility that if she actually went out with him, Eithan would catch them together and unleash his fury. She just couldn't go out with him for those reasons.

"Braden I…" She sighed regretting what she was about to say. "I can't go out with you." She looked down. If she weren't with Eithan she surely would have said yes.

"Why not?"

She swallowed her tears. "I just...can't. It's not you, I really like you. I just can't go out with you." She looked up at him and saw his innocent brown eyes looking back at her with hurt feelings and immediately felt terrible. "I'm sorry."

"Can we at least go to lunch? Not as a date or anything but just as friends?"

She smiled. "I'd like that."

They went to the food court and got burritos and punch from the Mexican restaurant. In the time that they were there she started to like him more. She'd been very reluctant around guys since all through her experience with Eithan but Braden was different. She found him easy to talk to. She found herself more comfortable around him than she'd felt around anyone in a long time. He was really nice, sweet and compassionate, and he listened to what she had to say. Clearly he was very interested in her. The more time she spent with him, the more she regretted saying no to the actual date he offered to her.

She checked her watch and found they'd been sitting there for close to an hour. "I guess I should be going. My friends are probably looking for me."

"Yeah, my friends are probably looking for me too," he said. Then he cracked a smile which she found extremely gorgeous. "I'll walk you to Macy's again."

She smiled as well. "Okay."

He walked her to Macy's this time not holding her hand even though he desperately wanted to.

"Well, here we are," he said when they got there.

"Yeah." She didn't want to leave him. "Will I see you again?"

He gave a knowing smile. "We miraculously saw each other today, who says we won't see each other again some other time?"

She looked down for a moment then smiled back at him. "Well, bye Braden."

"Bye Fidella."

She walked into Macy's to find Jade and Yasmin. She found them in the back looking at dresses.

"There she is," Yasmin said pointing.

"Girl where were you? We were waiting for over an hour!" Jade exclaimed.

"Sorry you guys, I guess I kind of got distracted."

"No worries Della," Yasmin said. "You guys wanna go to Footlocker?" The others nodded and they went to Footlocker.


	4. First Date

_This _title is self explanatory

* * *

First Date

Fidella went to the music center to play the piano. Music gave her some sense of security and a way to forget about her problems. She went in and sat at the grand piano and played one of her favorite songs that she'd memorized.

Braden was walking down the street on his way home and he passed the music center. He did a double take when he saw the beautiful girl who'd stolen his heart in there. He rushed in. "Fidella."

Fidella looked up from the piano. When she saw who had said her name a smile lit her face and she was tempted to run over and hug him. "Braden!"

He came over and sat next to her. "I didn't know you played."

She nodded. "I learned a couple years ago but I never had a piano at home so I come here."

"I know what you mean. I've been trying to get at least a keyboard myself but they're a little more than I can afford right now."

"You play too?" She was delighted to find someone who shared her love of something as passionate as music, most people she knew weren't musically gifted.

"Sure do." He started to play a song she didn't recognize. She watched as his hands moved gracefully across the keys better than she could ever dream of playing herself.

"Hey, do you know this?" she asked once he finished. She started to play one of her favorites Au Claire de Lune.

"Yeah." He played along with her. "This is Debussy right?"

Fidella nodded. "Uh huh, it's so peaceful."

"Heh, yeah it is, that's why I like it." Then he messed up one part he'd forgotten. "Aw crap what was that part?"

She let out a slight laugh. "It's like this." She demonstrated it and then he played it. "Perfect." Then they continued the song and finally finished it. At the end she decided to show off a little and moved her fingers quickly across the keys from the highest note down to the low notes where he had been playing making it up as she went along. Then when she got near his hand she walked her fingers up his arm a bit flirtatiously.

They both laughed. Then he walked his fingers up her arm and she laughed as he tickled her bare skin. Then they just sat there laughing for a few minutes. She looked up at him and found him looking her in her eyes. His big brown eyes accented by his thick eyebrows seemed to draw her in. Hesitantly he brushed his hand across her cheek waiting for her to push him away but she didn't. Unconsciously they started to lean towards each other, eyes closing, their breath becoming one…

Their lips touched in a sweet tender kiss. Fidella was surprised by this for a moment but wrapped her arms around his neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer. They melted into each other, bodies pressed together. They kissed deeper and more passionately. Her hands gripped her shirt taking in his taste, his inviting smell, his feel. He ran his hand through her hair that hung loosely down her back and gripped onto it. Their kiss became more intense, their tongue's roamed each other's mouths vigorously and they gripped each other tightly. Then they broke off sensing they were losing control of themselves.

They stared into each other's eyes with their arms still around each other breathing heavily. That kiss felt better than when Fidella kissed Eithan. This kiss wasn't forced, it came naturally. She couldn't take her eyes off of him, those beautiful eyes that intrigued her. He placed his hand on her cheek again and this time she held it there.

"Fidella, would you reconsider that date?" Braden asked.

Fidella knew she couldn't not accept it now. But what about Eithan, she was sure he was still looking for her, and he'd catch them…aw who gave a fuck about Eithan? She really liked Braden! "Yes. I'll go out with you Braden."

Braden smiled at her and placed another sweet kiss on her lips.

Fidella went back to her sister's house feeling more elated than she'd felt in a long time. The fear of Eithan catching her was long forgotten. Braden was perfect. She couldn't imagine going out with some one nicer, sweeter, or more _sexy_ than him. She just wished she'd met him earlier. She realized that since she agreed to go out with Braden she was technically cheating on Eithan, but then she reasoned that since she'd left him, that pretty much counted as breaking up with him so she left it at that.

Then one realization brought her back to earth, she had nothing to wear! She didn't have many nice clothes and she certainly didn't have anything worth wearing on a date. She had never been as clothes crazy as Yasmin and Jade and now she regretted it. She dug through her suitcase in hopes of packing something nice.

"I know I packed most of my clothes," she said to herself. "I have to at least had one dress…or maybe I used it to wash the windows...crap I'm such an idiot!" She fund a green sweater dress that she didn't remember getting. "When the hell did I get this?" She threw it back and made a note to burn it later.

Fianna came through the door with Breena and her friend Cloe. Cloe was a blonde and sort of slutty. Right now, she was wearing skinny jeans and a shirt that only came to the end of her ribcage and she was popping pink bubble gum.

"Hey sweetie, why are you tearing all your stuff apart?" Fianna asked.

Then an idea came to her. Fianna was extremely girly and had enough fancy clothes to last her a lifetime. "Fianna, I need to borrow a dress."

"Hot date with Eithan?" Cloe asked.

Fidella froze for a moment. "Um, yeah, sure."

"Aw, you finally settled your differences? Are you moving back in soon?" Fianna asked.

"No I told you I was getting a new apartment!" Fidella exclaimed tired of her sisters questioning. "I just need to borrow a dress."

"Don't you own a dress?" Cloe asked.

Fidella chuckled a little embarrassed by what she was about to tell them. "Well funny thing about that Cloe. I kind of…used it to wash the windows a couple weeks ago." Fianna, Cloe, and even Breena laughed.

"Auntie Della you wear dresses not wash things with them," Breena said.

"Yeah I realize that now." Fidella turned back to Fianna. "Can I please borrow a dress now?"

"Alright c'mon." They all went to Fianna's room and sat on the bed while she dug through her closet. She pulled out a yellow strapless dress. "How about this?"

"Eugh! No! You know I hate yellow" Fidella exclaimed.

Fianna pulled out a long black dress. "How about this?"

"I'm going on a date, not to a funeral!"

"Girl, I wouldn't even wear that," Cloe said.

Fianna pulled out a few more dresses and Fidella hated all of them. "Well Fidella if you want a dress so bad go buy one yourself, I don't have any left!"

Fidella noticed a blue dress behind a jacket. "What about that one?" she said pointing to it.

Fianna pulled it out. It was knee length; it had a fancy design at the bottom and at the waist, and had spaghetti straps. "This old thing?"

Fidella snatched it. "I like it!"

"Well go try it on," Cloe said.

Fidella put on the dress and it honestly looked beautiful on her. After she put it on the combed her long hair and put on a little make up to prepare for her date.

She came back into Fianna's room. "How do I look?" she said twirling around.

"You look pretty," Breena said.

"That's nice, I wish I had that dress," Cloe said.

"Beautiful."

She ran downstairs to put some stuff in her purse and found her cell phone vibrating. The caller ID said it was Braden (they'd given each other their number's before they left the music center). "Hello?"

"Fidella, its Braden. I'll be there in five minutes."

"Okay. See ya." She put her phone in her purse. She was glad she told him to call before he came, now she just needed to keep the other's upstairs in case he came to the door. She didn't want them to know this wasn't Eithan she was going out with.

"You guys, I'm leaving. You don't need to come down!" She called upstairs.

"Bye Della."

Approximately five minutes later Braden was at the door. She gasped. He looked great in his black jeans and white shirt and he looked as sexy as ever. "Ready to go?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, let's go." She locked the door behind her and they went out to Braden's convertible. Once again he opened the door for her and soon they were off.

"You wanna listen to music?" he asked.

"Of course. Do you like the Black Eyed Peas?"

"They're the best." He turned on one of her favorite songs.

She felt lucky to have found someone that was not only nicer and sexier than Eithan had ever been, but he had a lot in common with her as well. Suddenly she found herself once again captivated by him. Finally she found her voice and said, "You know, you never told me where we were going."

"It's a surprise," he said with a sly smile.

"You wanna give me a hint on that surprise?"

He pretended to think. "Hmm, uh…no. You'll just have to be surprised."

She pushed his arm lightly. "Alright fine, I can take a surprise."

He smirked. "Are you sure about that?" he teased.

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I can," she said laughing.

"Good, we're almost there anyway, so you won't have to wait much longer."

A little late he pulled into the small parking lot of the Manhattan Skating Rink. A smile spread across her face. "How did you know I like roller skating?"

"Remember the other day when we were talking at the food court? You told me."

They got out of the car. "You remembered that?" she asked.

He winked at her. "You'd be surprised the things I remember." He took her hand and she blushed touched by what he just said to her.

They went inside and rented their skates and ordered some spicy curly fries to share before they actually went onto the rink. They sat across from each other at a small booth.

"So, aside from my love of roller skating, what else did I tell you that day?" she asked curiously. She popped a fry into her mouth.

He thought back on what they talked about. "Let's see, your last name is Manos, your twenty three, your favorite colors are green and purple and black, you play the piano, and you like the Black Eyed Peas."

"I told you that last one about fifteen minutes ago," she pointed out.

"So, what do you remember about me?" he asked.

"Well, your last name is Davis, you are twenty five, your favorite color is black, you play the piano, you have a Hyundai convertible, and you're a _really_ good kisser."

That last one made Braden laugh. "Thanks, so are you." Fidella laughed as well.

"So, out of curiosity, what do you do? I mean like, your job?" Fidella asked.

"Mechanic," he replied.

"Really?" she said getting interested.

'Yeah, stuff like that has always interested me. I actually built a motorcycle from scratch a few years back, but then my brother took it for a ride and messed it up…and almost killed himself while he did it."

"Oh wow, that's kinda messed up."

"So what about you?"

"I'm a massage therapist at the salon on 21st street."

"Really?"

"Yup."

"Maybe you could give em a massage sometime," Braden said slyly making them both laugh.

They sat in silence for a moment while Braden observed her eating the fries. He'd been taken in by how beautiful she was since day one and she looked exceptionally beautiful tonight. "Fidella," he said.

She looked up from the fries. "You can call me Della, my friends do."

"Okay _Della_, you look really beautiful tonight," he said.

She was knocked speechless as a blush spread across her face. She wasn't used to being told she was beautiful, like she'd said before she wasn't used to compliments in general. And she really didn't think of herself as all that beautiful (Eithan had sort of influenced that belief). She smiled. "Thanks Braden," she managed to let out.

There was one fry in left.

"You can have it," he offered.

She picked it up and broke it in half and gave one piece to him.

Then they put their skates on and went onto the rink. They skated together in a circle around the rink. It was late so luckily there weren't a lot of kids who couldn't skate going around knocking everyone down. Then they ended up chasing each other around. Braden snuck up on her a few times and eventually she got him back. Then the DJ announced a couples only skate. Braden took her hand and they skated around together kissing a few times and feeling like they were in utter heaven, not wanting the moment to stop.

They left around eleven thirty. They didn't go home though. They walked up and down the streets of New York for about a half an hour talking and getting to know each other more. Before they knew it, it was after midnight, so he drove her back to Fianna's. He walked her to the door and they stood there with their arms around each other.

They kissed deep and passionately. They broke off and looked at each other for a moment.

"Well, bye Della," he said breathless from the kiss.

"Bye Braden," she said. He went back to his car and she went into Fianna's house. When she got in she saw Fianna standing there with her arms crossed. "Why do you look like you're gonna bite my head off?"

"Stayed out pretty late didn't you?" Fianna said still giving her a death glare.

"Yeah so? You never gave me a curfew. As far as I know I can stay out with my boyfriend as long as I want."

"You could've called at least called and said you'd be back late," Fianna said.

"Well I'm back aren't I?" Fidella went into the living room to put down her purse.

Fianna decided to get to the point. How late her sister stayed out didn't matter all that much to her. "Who was that you were with?"

Fidella paused for a second but tried to play it off naturally. "What are you talking about? I told you I was with Eithan."

"Fidella I saw you when you came back…"

Fidella turned to her angrily. "You were spying on me?"

"No, no of course not. Well, a little. But that guy did _not_ look like Eithan! Who was he?"

"Why does it concern you?"

"Because I'm curious. You just flat out lied to me and told me it was Eithan you were going out with and here you are with some mystery guy and I'm supposed to be okay with that?"

"Yes. Stop interfering with my life, it's none of your business." With that, Fidella went upstairs into the bathroom to change into her pajamas. When she came downstairs Fianna was in the kitchen making tea.

She poured a cup for Fidella and handed it to her. "Here, you'll probably need this all the drinking you were probably doing."

Fidella took the cup. "Thanks. And we weren't drinking, we actually just went roller skating."

Fianna sat down at the table. "I wish you'd just tell me who that was and what's really going on."

Fidella sat down across from her. She decided to just come clean. Not about the whole abuse thing no, Fianna would go ballistic. She'd just tell another little lie. "Okay, the truth is, I broke up with Eithan."

"You told me you loved him!" Fianna said.

"I did but, like I said, things didn't work out. That's why I came over here that night, I had broke up with him."

"What about the other guy you were with tonight?"

"That was the guy that brought me home that night…"

"So you were with him before you left Eithan? You cheated on him? No wonder you broke up…"

"No Fianna! Listen to me. I had only just met him that night. But he asked me out this morning and I said yes. So _he_ took me out tonight, not Eithan." By now Fidella figured she must be the master of all lies as many as she'd been telling lately.

"I can't believe you've been lying to me Della…"

"Fianna I'm sorry, I just wasn't exactly ready to tell anyone..."

"So what, now you're gonna tell me you lied about buying your own apartment?" Fianna exclaimed angrily.

"No! I'm still gonna get my apartment, in a couple days maybe. What, do you think I'd sit around here and mooch off of you too? Like I said before, I'm gonna be independent."

"So when are you moving in?"

"Monday probably. I already bought it."

"I'll help you move in if you want," Fianna offered.

"It's not much to do, I mean, it's furnished just not personalized," Fidella explained.

"Well, I'll help you buy things and what not."

"Thanks Fianna."

"You're not keeping anything else from me are you Della?"

"…No."

* * *

Like i said, don't lie to your big sister, she'll be pretty pissed


	5. Innocence

This chapter is loosely based off of Avril Lavigne's song "Innocence". If you haven't heard it, listen to it. If you don't want to listen to it, you'll still understand the chapter

* * *

Innocence

Fidella moved into her apartment in Upper Manhattan the following Monday. The place came with your basic furniture in it. Fianna, Yasmin, Jade and Cloe came over to help her move in while Breena sat and watched and refused to help. The place wasn't very large. Once you walked in there was the dining room, the kitchen was on the right and it had an island counter, the dining room was across from it, and down the hallway there was the bathroom and two bedrooms (the biggest room obviously hers). After they finished they sat in the living room with Chinese food that Cloe ordered.

"Nice place," Jade said. "It's not my first choice for living but…" Yasmin elbowed her hard. "Ow! What?"

Fidella shrugged. "It's not much, but it's a start."

"Did you tell them?" Fianna asked.

Fidella looked at her confused. "Tell them what?"

"You know."

Fidella shook her head still confused. "No I don't."

Fianna rolled her eyes at her. "Fidella broke up with Eithan."

"What?" everyone exclaimed simultaneously. Fidella just looked at her horrified. She didn't plan on telling everyone else that lie, now it looked like she had to.

"Yeah, tell them," Fianna said.

"Um, yeah. Things weren't working out so we broke up…"

"I know how you feel. I felt like I loved Sam but then we broke up. Now I'm engaged to Cameron," Cloe said.

"You never told me you were engaged!" Fianna exclaimed.

"Oh, I didn't. Yeah he proposed to me last night," Cloe said showing off the diamond ring on her finger.

"I guess we're gonna be working on your wedding for a long time huh?" Yasmin said.

"We haven't set a date yet but I swear as soon as I do I'll tell you…if I remember."

"Hey, Fidella has a new boyfriend," Fianna said wanting to get back to the conversation at hand. Fidella gave her a death glare but then everyone else started asking question so she was forced to spill.

"Yeah I met him the night I came to Fianna's and we went out a couple days ago."

"What's his name?" Yasmin asked.

"Braden."

"Ooh, is he cute?" Cloe asked.

Fidella nodded sighing at the thought of him. "Yeah, he is."

They sat there for a long time gabbing about Fidella's love life until about nine o clock.

Fidella and Braden were at the park on the swings a few days later. Every day she found something else she liked about him. She felt completely comfortable around him and felt that she could tell him anything without feeling stupid. All her fears about Eithan were long gone. When she'd first arrived at Fianna's she'd gotten threatening messages for a few days but he wasn't even doing that anymore. She'd thought he'd given up and she was keen to nurture that thought.

"Braden?"

"Yeah?"

"When you were a kid did you ever race on the swings?"

He nodded smiling in thought at the memories. "Race on the swings and then argue for fifteen minutes about who actually won, yeah."

"And then make up obstacle courses on all the play sets?"

"And tire yourself out before you finish it." She laughed. "Those were the day's man."

"Guess what?"

"What?"

"I won!" she said triumphantly.

Braden looked up and saw her swinging so high she looked like she'd flip over the top. "Hey that's not fair, you never said we were actually racing!"

"I brought it up, you didn't catch on," she said as she came back down.

"Alright then Della since you wanna be like that, ready, set, go!" He took off and she did too and they raced fiercely. Braden won. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"I won!"

"Braden!" She got off her swing and he got off his as she chased him. "Oh my god, you'd better run buddy!" Eventually she cornered him and grabbed him. They stood there against the tree laughing and trying to catch their breath.

They sat on the couch in Braden's living room watching Kick Ass which was a favorite movie of both of theirs. Fidella had her head rested on his chest and his arms were around her.

Braden had also faced at great deal of heartbreak himself, in fact less than a year ago. He'd been going out with Megan since their sophomore year of college. He wasn't expecting what had come the day the broke up at all but he never forgot that day.

Flashback…

Braden was at Megan's front door. He'd come over to maybe spend the evening with her. He rang the doorbell expecting her to answer but instead he got something different. A man who looked a little older than him with jet black hair and light skin wearing a robe opened the door looking equally surprised.

"Who are you?" Braden asked suspiciously.

"I'm John, Megan's boyfriend, who are you?" he asked confused by the whole situation.

"No, _I'm_ Megan's boyfriend," Braden said angrily.

"Excuse me…?"

At that moment Megan came to the door wearing a black silk robe with her long brown hair hanging over her shoulders. "Honey, who's…Braden?"

"Megan, start explaining. This guy says he's your boyfriend, is this true?" John asked equally as angry as Braden.

Megan looked back and forth between the two of them knowing she was defeated. "Yes, it is."

"I can't believe you! You cheated on me for him?" John exclaimed.

"Actually _I_ was her boyfriend _first_, so she cheated on me for you!" Braden broke in.

John looked back and forth between the two of them in disbelief at what he was hearing. "That's it!" He went inside and came back a few minutes later fully clothed. He looked at Megan. "You and me are over!"

Before he could get in his car and leave another car pulled into the driveway. A blonde guy stepped out holding something in his hand. He looked at all the commotion at Megan's front door. "Megan, who are they?" he asked looking back and forth between Braden and John.

"I'm her boyfriend!" Braden and John exclaimed.

"I'm your boyfriend Megan!" the blonde guy said.

"Bryce…" Megan began.

John walked to his car. "I can't take this anymore!" He got in and pulled off.

This left Braden and Bryce still glaring at Megan.

Bryce held out his hand and in it was a black box. He opened it and there was a diamond ring inside.

Now it was Megan's turn to look in disbelief. "You…you were…"

"You'd better believe I was. But now, you can forget about it!" Bryce exclaimed. He closed the box and started to walk away but Megan grabbed his shirt.

"Bryce wait! You can still give me the ring; you can still get married to me! Those other guys didn't mean anything to me! You see John just left, and I could care less about this one," she pointed to Braden and surprise broke out on his face. "C'mon Bryce, please!"

Bryce pushed her off. "I'm sorry Megan. I can't marry someone who's unfaithful to me." He went to his car and drove off as well.

Tears welled up in Megan's eyes as she watched him go. She looked at Braden who was still there. "Well? Aren't you gonna leave too like the rest of them? Or are you here to beg for me to come back to you?"

Braden definitely wasn't there to beg for her to come back. He didn't want her back. But he did have questions and he wanted answers. "How long has this been going on?" he asked ignoring her questions to get right to his own.

"A year," she mumbled.

"A year?" Braden exclaimed. He was so mad he could feel his vein pulsing. "We've been together since college. I give you all my love and to repay me you go behind my back for a year with…with them?"

"Actually I've only known John for a couple of weeks, I've been going out with Bryce for eleven months and there was someone before him but he broke up with me," Megan explained still looking at the ground.

Braden couldn't believe how he could have possibly been so ignorant of all of this. "Why you back stabbing, conniving little cheat!" he exclaimed coming closer to her.

"Can't you see I just don't want you anymore?" she exclaimed.

He placed his hand on the door next to her face. "And why couldn't you have just told me that in the first place? Is there anything else you're hiding from me?"

"I'm pregnant."

Braden was knocked into speechlessness for a moment. "Pregnant? Whose is it? If it's mine you can haul yourself right over to the hospital to get an abortion!"

"It's Bryce's. And thanks to you he left me so the baby won't have a father!"

"Thanks to me?" Braden said quietly. "Thanks to me? How can you possibly blame all this on me? It's your fault. If you hadn't gone behind my back in the first place none of this would have ever…" All of a sudden she punched him in the face. He stumbled back and gripping his throbbing jaw. "What the hell?"

Megan raised her first again. "I'll hit harder!" She threw a punch again but this time he caught her wrist and squeezed it tightly she couldn't move it. She struggled but he wouldn't let go. "Let go of me! You're hurting my wrist!"

"I should break it!" he yelled. Then he pushed her and she stumbled back into the door. He wanted to punch her, he really did want to break her wrist but Braden had too much decency and good upbringing to hit a lady, unless in self defense.

"Get the hell away from me Braden," she said. "I never want to see you again!"

Braden back up angrily. "I never wanna see you again either bitch!"

Megan opened her front door. "Good riddance!" then she slammed it.

Back to the present…

Braden never quite forgave himself. Not that he wanted Megan back, of course he didn't. He never forgave himself for being so ignorant of the fact that Megan cheated on him. The whole thing took quite a toll on him after that, he fell into a state of depression for a while; after all he had really loved her.

He hugged Fidella closer to him. This is why he was so glad he had her. At least he had one stable woman in his life, aside from his previous girls and his alcoholic mother. It was an extremely lucky chance that he had found his beloved Fidella in the first place. He knew somehow that this was meant to be and that fate had given him another chance; he was going to take advantage of that chance.

As for Fidella, she felt like something in her life was finally working out. She was free of Eithan's drunken rage, free of Fianna's constant pestering about her personal life (at least for now she was), and she'd found the perfect man. Sure she'd only known him for a month but she knew she needed him. She felt like her life had finally reached a sense of innocence.

The commercial came on for the movie.

She sat up. "You have any popcorn around here Braden?"

Braden thought trying to remember what he had in his kitchen. "I think so. Let's go check."

They got up and went to the kitchen. Braden looked through his cabinets and found a pack of popcorn. "What do you know, one left." He popped it in the microwave and after he did he felt her tap him on the shoulder. When he turned around she was leaning against the counter looking away like she didn't do anything.

She looked over at him shaking his head. "What?" she said innocently.

A smile broke across Braden's face that immediately turned into a laugh. "You are so annoying Della."

Fidella smiled knowing he didn't mean that. "That's why you love me Braden." She replayed over what she just said. She just said "love". Neither of them had ever mentioned "love" before. She looked up at him and saw a range of emotions play across his face. She tried to take it back. "I didn't mean…I…um…"

Braden put one hand on her shoulder and the other on her lips to stop her. "Fidella, do you really love me?" He removed his finger so she could respond.

She was hesitant to say anything thinking he might not feel the same way. Finally she nodded. "Yes. I do love you…do you love me?"

Braden nodded. "Yeah, I do. I love you."

A smile of relief spread across her face. Then she threw herself at him wrapping her arms around his neck and the impact almost knocking him onto the floor. "Oh Braden!" She planted a passionate kiss on his lips. He put his arms around her waist and they got very intense and passionate. Braden held her tighter and she heard herself whimper. He moaned slightly and she kissed him as hard as she could. This kiss was different than all of the others. It had a new sense of not "like" but "love".

Their passion was interrupted by the microwave announcing the finished popcorn.

It was early in the morning, eight o clock to be exact. Fidella was up early that day which was a first for some time. She sat on the couch in front of the TV with a cup of tea in her hand. She had no interest in the sitcom that was on though. All she could think about for the last few days was Braden. She couldn't get that day the told each other they loved each other out of her mind. She wished he was with her right now, she wished he was with her every second, but of course they both had to work if they wanted to keep their houses. Thankfully it was the weekend, so they could do whatever they wanted.

Then her phone rang. She was anticipating it to be him but instead it was none other than Fianna.

"What's up Della?"

Fidella rolled her eyes. Everyone asked her this question and she always said the same thing, it was starting to get very annoying. "The sky."

"Oh, forget it."

"Thank you."

"So, what are you doing today?" Fianna asked.

"Sitting here, waiting for Braden to call me."

"You know, instead of waiting for things to happen, you should happen."

That was a really weird way to put it. "Never heard that one before Fianna."

"It's true. So what's been going on in the world of ecstasy and Braden anyway?"

A smile immediately broke out on her face without her meaning for it to. "Well, um, a couple days ago, he told me he loves me."

Fianna got all giggly. "Omg, seriously. He really loves you?"

"I said it first without really meaning to and he said he loves me too."

"Aw, so you're finally getting over Eithan?"

"Of course," she said truthfully for once.

"Good. Now, why are you talking to me, call Braden you crazy person!"

"Alright, alright, bye." She hung up and before she could dial the number the phone rang. "Hello?"

"Hey Della," Braden said.

"Hi Braden. Wassup?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to come to the beach with me later."

"Sure, I'd love to."

"Cool, I'll pick you up?"

"When?"

"Say, eleven?"

"Sounds perfect, I'll be ready."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye." Fidella hung up the phone and paused. "Wait, do I still own a bathing suit?" She ran to her bedroom and looked through all the drawers in her dresser. "My god, I _really_ need to go shopping more!" She found a purple and blue strapless bikini top, now where was the bottom? Then she found a white and black bottom which she doubted she still had the top for. "Gah! I need the purple one not the white one!" Then she found it deep at the bottom of the drawer. "Phew! That was close."

She put on the bikini along with a pair of short shorts, tied her into two long braids knowing it was prone to get extremely frizzy when it got wet, and put on a pair of sunglasses. Then she grabbed a purse filled with a water bottle, her phone, her iPod, and some money, now all she had to do was wait for Braden to come pick her up.

She looked in the full size mirror on the bathroom door and sighed. She thought she had too much belly fat. She pulled her stomach up, it was useless. "I'm gonna need to go to the gym."

By that time she heard a knock on her door. Sure enough it was Braden. They gave each other a hug and a kiss. She got her stuff and they went out to his car.

"Braden, tell me this honestly, do you think I need to lose weight?" she asked as they were walking.

He raised his eyebrow surprised she'd say something like that. Fidella was very skinny. "No. Why, you do?"

"I have too much belly fat."

"No you don't." They got in the car. "Don't worry about it Della, you're fine."

She decided to believe him but she was still gonna go to the gym.

They drove until they reached the Manhattan Beach. They took all the stuff out of the car, beach towels, umbrella's, sun tan lotion, you've gone to the beach before (I hope), you know! They found a slightly shady spot not too far from the ocean. They set up their stuff and sat on the beach towels.

"Want me to put some sunscreen on you?" Braden asked after rubbing some on his arms.

"Sure." He rubbed it on her arms and she let out a passionate sigh as he mischievously roamed his hands around her body and touched her between her legs for a moment. He motioned for her to turn around and he put sunscreen on her back. As he did he noticed a whole bunch of scars that he could've played dot to dot with if she had a marker. "Della, where did you get all these scars from?"

Fidella's eyes got wide; she'd forgotten he'd see those scars. She wasn't ready to tell the full story but she didn't want to lie to Braden. She decided to trust him, after all Eithan was gone; there was no way he could ever find out. "Oh, um, my old boyfriend he…he abused me."

"What?" Braden said in disbelief. He turned around to face him. "He _abused_ you?"

Fidella nodded not looking him in the eye. "Uh huh. He'd come home drunk and beat me, then expect me to be his little sex slave. And if I tried to leave he'd threaten me and hurt me more. He always told me I was worthless and that the only reason he was still with me was because I did whatever he wanted, but what do you expect me to do if I was being beaten into submission? That's why I had that scar on my face the day you first saw me, he'd cut me with a beer can. And I was going to my sister's house to get away from him. I haven't seen him since though."

Braden still looked on in disbelief at what he was telling her. Who in the right mind would want to hurt Fidella? He lifted her head to look at him. "I'm sorry about that."

She placed her hand on his cheek. "It's okay."

He noticed the burn mark on her hand. He examined it. "Did he do this to you too?"

She nodded. "Yes. He pushed me into the stove and made me burn myself." She grimaced at the thought. "Then he had the…_audacity_ to stand there and laugh about it while I stood there and cried." She felt like she'd start crying again but held back.

Braden saw the look in her eyes and regretted asking in her first place. "I shouldn't have asked you."

Fidella wiped her eye and shrugged. "It's okay. You know, you're the first person I ever told about this."

"Really? You never told your sister or called the police or anything?" Braden asked.

Fidella shook her head. "He'd threaten me every time I tried to do something. Then he'd take out a belt or something and beat me until I felt like I'd pass out."

"Geez, that's really harsh," Braden said imagining Fidella getting beaten like that then pushing the thought out of his head.

Fidella shook her head. "Forget about it. Aren't we here to have fun and not talk about how depressing my life has been?"

"True. Race you to the ocean?" Braden asked eagerly.

"You're on!"

They spent their day splashing through the ocean; they made a colossal sand castle which some stupid teenagers destroyed luckily after Braden took a picture. Then they shared fries and a soft pretzel form the snack bar. When they were in the ocean the second time Braden snatched off her bikini top and she went ballistic. And all the time in between was spent making out either in the ocean, on the pier, on the beach towels, or in the bathroom. They left at about ten thirty at night tired but satisfied about how their day went.

Little did they know, their satisfaction and happiness wouldn't last long.

* * *

Dun dun duuuuuun It only goes down hill from here folks. *cue the big drumroll*


	6. Threatened

Threatened

When Fidella woke up the next day she crawled out of bed and went to the kitchen to make herself some breakfast. Just as she was buttering her toast and putting the sugar in her tea she heard her name.

"Fidella."

She recognized the voice and froze. How? It's been two months, why now?

"Nice to see you again Fidella."

She knew she shouldn't have turned around but she did so anyway. Now she was face to face with Eithan. He wore ripped up jeans and a muscle shirt, and his hair was sweaty and messy. He leaned against the doorway in the kitchen looking…calm and subtle?

"How did you get in here?" she asked.

"That's for me to now and you to find out sweet heart," he said. He came closer to her and she backed away but he put his arms around her from behind. "It's been a while Fidella. How's everything been? Did you have fun at the beach yesterday?"

Fidella's eyes got wide. "How do you know about that?" she asked slowly.

"Oh I was there."

She expected him to be really mad. She expected him to yell and scream. Instead he was very calm and she didn't know which way she'd rather have it. She started to breathe heavily and she felt herself shaking out of fear for what was about to come. She tried to control herself but she couldn't.

"I was there the whole time. See, when you left, I waited hoping you'd come back on your own because you'd rather not have me find you. I waited a few days and you never came. So I went out looking for you myself. I didn't have any luck. I figured I just wasn't looking in the right places. Then I saw you go into the skating rink that night with _him_. I decided to keep a close watch on you from that moment on." He kissed her neck a few times. "I didn't say anything because every time I saw you there were just too many people around and you were clinging to him like a lost puppy." He ran his hands up and down her sides. "But then I saw you frolicking around the beach with him yesterday and I was done playing Mr. Nice Guy."

She wanted to fight him. She wanted to tell him to leave her alone forever and get out of her house. But her limbs were frozen in place and either one of those could possibly get her killed. She stayed still as he caressed her. This somehow, scared her even more.

"I'm gonna ask you this once, and if you answer it correctly and sincerely you won't suffer. Will you leave that other man and come back to me?"

Fidella wanted to say no. But then again, she didn't want to know the meaning of "suffer". "Yes," but it was evident in her voice that she didn't mean it.

"Liar!" he shouted.

Then out of no where she felt a knife cut through the skin on her arm and leave a deep gash ranging from above her elbow to her wrist and she screamed as she felt the agonizing pain. Her arm felt like it was on fire as blood poured from it.

"Fidella tell me, you'd rather risk your life _and_ his than just give him up and be with me?" Eithan asked less calm this time, rage entering his voice. Fidella couldn't speak. Eithan slapped her face. "Answer me!" he shouted.

"You are a bitch and if you think I'm gonna give up Braden to be with you and be abused all over again you've got another thing coming!" she said through her tears. She screamed again in agony as he cut her other arm the same way. She couldn't take the pain. She felt like she'd drop down and die right there. She stood there shaking and crying while he still held her.

"You are the bitch Fidella. You're stubborn and stupid and you're mouth is what gets you into trouble." He slapped her again then squeezed her bleeding wrist making the cut on her arm burn.

"Please…stop!...please!" she screamed through the pain.

He kissed her neck again and brushed his hand across her cheek. "I hope you enjoyed your little romp on the beach because it'll surely be your last." He smacked her again and she screamed and cried. He put the knife to her neck. "That's right Fidella, feel the pain. Death is no walk in the park. This is what disloyalty gets you, you should've thought before you went off with him."

She expected him to stab her next. Stab her and then she'd drop down onto the floor dead. But he didn't. He lowered his knife and she thought he was sparing her. Instead he dragged her over to the dining room yanking her hair as he did. He threw her onto the floor, pulled ropes out of his pockets and tied her to the chair leg. He tied her wrists exceptionally tight once again making the cuts burn even more then he tied her legs together. She cried and screamed and begged him to let her go but it was no use, Eithan was relentless and merciless. Then he put duct tape over her mouth so her pleas for mercy ended.

Eithan leaned down to her and looked her in the eye while holding the knife to her neck. "Why use up all the fun now? I'll let you suffer first, knowing that I'm coming for you, and soon I'll be after that boyfriend of yours as well." He ran the knife blade across her neck leaving a short thin line of blood. Then he stood up. "We could have been happy together Fidella, but you chose to be a rebellion. You should have known it would cost you your life." Then he left slamming the door behind him.

She sat on the floor crying in pain, in anguish, and just wishing she could be with Braden one last time.

Almost a half an hour later someone was at the door. Fidella expected Eithan here to kill her but whoever it was didn't come in.

"Fidella? It's Braden, can I come in?"

Fidella felt like she'd pass out with relief. "Help me!" she said only through the tape over her mouth it was muffled.

Braden pressed his ear against the door. "What?"

"HELP ME!" Fidella shouted.

"Fidella I can't understand you. What did you say?"

"_HELP ME!_"

He heard what sounded like a muffled "help me". She sounded desperate. He tried the door but it was locked. "Fidella I can't get in!" he called back to her.

Then one of the tenants passed and noticed him struggling. "Locked out son?"

Braden nodded. "Yeah. Is there any way I can get in?"

"Go down to the reception in the lobby, they've got spare keys to every room."

"Thank you." Braden practically flew downstairs and when he got to the reception the lady gave him a strange look because he was so out of breath.

"Can I help you?" she asked after a few moments.

"I need a key to my apartment," he said.

"What room?"

Braden fished through his head to remember Fidella's room number. "Um…403." The lady gave him the key and he ran back upstairs. He opened the door but didn't see Fidella. "Della?" He turned around and saw her tied up, with tape over her mouth, blood spilling out of her arms and onto the floor, and tears running down her cheeks. His first thought was that she was dead but then she called his name.

He ran over to her and untied her and took the tape off of her mouth. She gripped onto him and cried uncontrollably. "Della what happened? Who did this to you?"

"He's b-back."

"Who?"

"My ex boyfriend…the one th-that abused m-me."

A furious expression crossed Braden's face. "What the bloody hell…?"

She tried to stand but she felt very weak. "We've got to get out of here…"

Braden noticed the bloody cuts on her arms. "Shouldn't we fix these cuts up first…?"

"Braden he's coming back!" she interrupted.

"When?" Braden wanted him to come back. He wanted him to come back to he could kill him for doing this to Fidella.

"I don't know. He tied me up so I could suffer and said he'd come back and _kill_ me. If we stay here he'll kill you too!"

"If he's coming back you can't stay here. You have to come to my house. Go get your stuff." They went to her bedroom and she put some of her stuff in a bag and they drove to Braden's house. The whole time they were in the car she was crying uncontrollably over her death threat at first, but she was more focused on the deep cuts in her arms. Braden tried his best to comfort her but it was no use. He understood though, he'd be pretty shaken up if he were her too.

When they got to Braden's house she threw her back on the floor still trying to control her tears of pain and fear. Braden picked up her arm and examined her cut but she flinched away. "Come here."

He took her to the bathroom and started to fix her cuts first wiping away the blood. "I outta kill him for cutting you like this," he said, the anger was evident in his voice.

"He's gonna come after me, and you too. I know he is."

Braden shook his head. "I won't let him hurt you again Della. I'm gonna call the police and they'll find him."

She yanked her arm back as he tried to put antiseptic on her arm. "Don't do that."

"C'mon Della." He put it on and she bit her lip resisting the urge to scream. "You're lucky this isn't really deep or I would've had to take you to the hospital." He put gauze on it then moved to the other one. "Why did he do this?"

Fidella wiped her eyes again. "He saw us at the beach yesterday. He's jealous and apparently he's not ready to let go of me. So he tried to kill me for revenge but he wanted to make me suffer, that's why he left. We can't go back there, he'll be there waiting for us." She flinched as he put the antiseptic stuff on her arm. Then he wrapped that one up as well.

Braden held her in his arms. "It's okay, like I said, I won't let him hurt you."

A little later Braden called the police. Then they sat on the couch not really watching the TV. Fidella was really afraid now, she didn't know if she'd ever go back home, and she didn't know how long it would be until the police caught Eithan. But she was glad she had Braden to protect her though, she didn't feel as afraid as she probably would have if she didn't have him.

As for Braden, he was furious. If he ever saw this Eithan guy, he would do some illegal things. He couldn't imagine why someone would want to hurt Della but this guy apparently took jealousy to another level. It made him even madder when he replayed how she looked when he came into her house that morning. Blood staining everything, pale faced, bound and gagged, a look of utter fear mixed with terrified relief of him finding her.

Fidella picked up the remote. "Do you mind if I change this? I hate this show."

"Sure, go ahead."

She turned on a show on Comedy Central then readjusted herself so she was comfortable, or at least as comfortable as she could get when she had extremely painful knife cuts on her arms.

He glanced at the topaz cross she still wore around her neck. "That necklace looks really pretty on you."

Fidella held it in her hand. "Thanks. My mother gave this to me just before she died when I was sixteen."

"At least you had a mother who cared about you," Braden said.

Fidella sat up and looked at him. "Your mother didn't care about you?"

Braden shook his head. "Nope. My dad left when I was eight, then my mom became an alcoholic some years later so I had to take care of my two brother's up until I went to college."

"Geez, that's pretty harsh."

Braden just shrugged. "They gave me a life and I used it, that's all that really matters."

Fidella admired him for being so independent despite not having a secure upbringing. She didn't know what she'd do if she was left responsible for Fianna, she could barely take care of herself as it was.

"How long do you think it'll be before the police find Eithan?" Fidella asked.

"I don't know." He looked her in her eyes. "Della I love you and I won't let him hurt you." He placed a kiss on her lips. "You can stay here as long as you like though, I don't mind," he said with a sly smile.

Fidella giggled and kissed him back. "I love you."

Later that day Yasmin called.

"Hello?"

"Hey chica! Mind if I come over?"

"You can't!" she said a little too quickly.

"Why?"

Fidella tried to think of a good excuse. "My building is having a little bit of renovations done and it's really loud around here. And um, I'm gonna be a little M.I.A for a while."

"Why are you gonna be M.I.A?"

"Getting away from the noise."

"Oh. Well have fun being M.I.A. I'm taking Gabs to get her hair straightened by the way."

"No way! She agreed?"

"No. I'm taking her; she just doesn't know it yet. Once we get to the hair salon we're not leaving though."

"Good luck, you're gonna need it."

"Thanks, bye Della."

"Bye." Fidella stared at her phone for a second before she put it down. Oh yeah, she was definitely the queen of lies.

"You should tell them," Braden said coming in with wet hair and a toothbrush in his mouth.

"Why?"

"So you won't have to make up a lie every time you talk to someone. I mean, they're gonna find out eventually."

Fidella sighed. "You're right. But I'm in too deep by now. I can't tell them."

Braden picked up his dead iPod. "Don't say I didn't warn you." He headed back upstairs.

"Don't remind me." She fell back on the arm of the couch but hit her sore arm on it. "Ow!"

Fidella stayed at Braden's house the next day and the day after that. They didn't hear anything from the police but Fidella was sure Eithan was lurking around her apartment just waiting for her to come back.

When she woke up that morning Braden wasn't next to her. She got up and reached for her necklace on the night table. It wasn't there. She checked in the bathroom. Nope. She went down stairs desperate now. She checked every likely place she could have put it. She found Braden on the couch watching TV.

"Braden, have you seen my necklace?" trying not to sound as desperate as she felt.

Braden looked away. "Nope."

"Can you help me look for it? I swear I left it in the bathroom but it's not there."

"Sure I'll help." He got up and searched with her. They didn't find it.

Fidella leaned against the wall. "Oh, I _need_ that necklace. It's the only thing I have left to really remember her by."

Braden decided the charade had gone on long enough seeing how she looked really distressed. "This wouldn't happen to be it would it?" he asked taking it out of his pocket.

Fidella's eyes got wide. "How long have you had this?"

"Since last night."

Fidella snatched it. "You stole it from me?" she exclaimed angrily. "You know how much this means to me, why would you take it from me?"

"Calm down Della. I took it for something good. Look at it."

Fidella looked at it and saw that the original chain was back, well a newer version of the original. It looked as good as new. "You did this?"

"Yeah. You had said a while ago that the original chain broke so I replaced it with one that matched the cross better."

All of a sudden Fidella threw her arms around him then kissed him. "Thanks so much Braden. It's as good as new. How did you know what the original chain looked like?"

"I didn't but this one looked nice with it." He put it on her.

Fidella kissed him again. "Thank you," she said again.

"Don't worry about it Della."

A little later the two of them were sitting at the kitchen table after breakfast.

"I'm going back to work today," Fidella said. "I still need to pay rent." She had reluctantly come to this conclusion. She was still apprehensive about going out without Braden but she did need money, she still had rent to pay, and she knew she couldn't live with Braden forever (even though she knew he'd like her to) and she had things to pay for.

"Are you sure?"

"About the rent? Of course I'm sure," she said sarcastically.

Braden chuckled. "You know what I mean, going back to work silly."

Fidella nodded. "I don't want to, but I need to."

"Well, if you run into him again, call me. I'll be there."

Fidella took a sip of her tea. "You're too good to me Braden."

"Of course I am Della. Would you rather I was a complete jerk?"

"No thanks, I'll choose the good guy over the jerk any day."

Brandon poked her shoulder. "Then stop complaining." He took a sip of the tea she'd made him. "You make some _really_ good tea Fidella."

Fidella laughed at the randomness of the comment. "Thanks, I try."

Fidella did in fact go to work at the Spa later that day. Her boss questioned her not coming since she didn't give full details when she called in sick. She just told him she had some injuries and rolled up her sleeves to show him her patched up arms and he accepted her excuse. She kept her jacket on all day not really willing to show off what Eithan had done to her. The whole time she was afraid he'd show up but he didn't and that gave her a sense of relief. She had learned not to underestimate him though and kept her guard up willing to call Braden if he came for her.

She went to Yasmin's house after work feeling guilty about blowing her off for the past week. She didn't let on about her situation but they had fun none the less. Then she got a call from her sister that night questioning her as usual so she was forced to tell the same lie she told Yasmin about the apartment renovations and her being kinda M.I.A.

The next morning she woke up next to Braden as usual but with a new twist…she was naked. She turned over and found him naked as well. She smiled as memories and loving feelings flooded back to her. Such wonderful, romantic night. She snuggled closer to him and eventually he woke up as well.

"Good morning," she said.

He kissed her lips. "Good morning Della."

"Last night was…amazing," Fidella said. She kissed his nose.

Braden chuckled. "It surely was."

They lay there for some time talking and cuddling together. They soon got up and got ready for work that day.

Fidella got a call while Braden was in the shower. "Hello?"

"Hello is this Fidella Manos?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

"This is Officer Brunner. I've called to inform you that your pursuer Eithan Johns hasn't been seen for some time and we assume he's fled. You can come back home now."

Somehow Fidella still wasn't sure about what he was telling her. "Are you sure? Because Eithan is slick and…"

"We will still have the perimeter on watch from a distance. You're pretty safe."

"Well…okay."

"Alright, bye."

"Bye…" she hung up the phone and just sat there thinking for a while.

Braden came in and stood next to her. "Hey." He put his arms around her and kissed her deeply.

"Hey," she said sort of spaced out.

"What's wrong? Was I that bad last night?" he joked.

Fidella cracked a smile. "No."

"C'mon I can take it," he said. He kissed her neck as he spoke.

"It's not you Braden," she said about to start laughing.

Braden looked at her. "What is it then?"

"The police just called and said I'm safe to go home now."

"Aw, you don't wanna leave me?" Braden said tickling her under her chin.

She giggled at his playfulness. "Yeah, that, and I'm just still scared he'll come back," she said turning serious again.

"They caught him didn't they?"

She looked down. "Well…they said he left, they've still got the place protected but…I don't know."

Braden lifted her head. "Della, be reasonable here. They've got the place protected right? I'm sure if Eithan tried to get you they'd catch him. It's your choice though." He was being optimistic for her sake but he was still a little afraid for her, but like he said, it was what she wanted to do.

Fidella nodded seeing the way he was thinking about this. "You're right Braden. Why am I so worried? I have no reason to be."

Braden kissed her. "Exactly, ya worry wart."

She giggled and pushed him away playfully. "Shut up."

The next day after work Fidella went back to her house. She kept Braden's words in mind and they put her at ease, so she didn't worry about Eithan. She opened the door to the building and went inside. She noticed the reception lady wasn't there. Strange, she was always there.

All of a sudden she felt a hand over her mouth and her hands were pulled behind her back. She kicked and struggled and tried to scream but her kidnapper was much stronger than her. He dragged her over to the elevator and pressed the button and soon they were upstairs.

* * *

Um, cliff hanger? Dun kill me for this! *runs away*


	7. Death

Someone died mwahahahaha! You guys are probably gonna hate me for this chapter, but i'm not telling who dies. Read!

* * *

Death

She was pushed through the door of her apartment quite aggressively. "Damn you Fidella!" Eithan shouted slamming the door behind him.

Before she could react she was smacked across the face and she stumbled onto the floor. Maybe she liked it better when Eithan was calm. Then he kicked her making her fall back down when she tried to get up. "You stupid." He picked her up by her shirt. "Stubborn." He smacked her again and she cried out in pain. "Bitch!"

She tried to break free of him but it was useless. The look he was giving her was evil but she stood her ground and tried to control how much she was shaking.

"You think you can outsmart me?" he yelled. She didn't respond. "WELL?"

"No…no of course not Eithan," despite her efforts to stand her ground and be strong her voice shook as she spoke.

"You thought it was smart to run off with that bastard again?"

"N-no…"

"And you thought you were doing something noble by calling the police on me?"

She didn't respond.

"You think this is funny! You think this is some kind of game and eventually I'm just gonna give up and you and who gives a damn what his name is, can run off and be happy together, and get married, and have your children, and all the evil in the world will end and you'll never have a care in the world, right?"

She shook her head desperately. "No, of course not…!"

He pushed her onto the couch and straddled over top of her. His knee dug into her making her cringe. "I tried to make this easy on you last week and be nice about it but oh no. You just had to be the stubborn idiot and not come quietly. Well you know what Fidella…"

Then she punched him in the mouth. She immediately knew she made a big mistake. He looked down at her gripping his jaw with eyes blazing with anger. "Why you fucking bitch…" he said slowly. He smacked her as hard as he could in the face and she screamed. Then he did what she had been hoping for the longest time he wouldn't do, he took off his belt to beat her. Then he hit her with it catching her between her neck and her jaw.

"AAHH!"

Then he flipped her over on her back while she started shaking like crazy anticipating the punishment he was about to give her.

He leaned down to her ear. "I didn't want to have to do this to you Fidella, but you leave me no choice. Girls like you just have to be punished, in your case, punished more harshly than usual."

She closed her eyes tightly as he said this. Then she felt the first lashing and screamed. He hit her over and over again and she screamed and cried in agony.

"This'll teach you to disrespect Eithan Johns!" he yelled as he hit her.

"Stop!...Please!...Stop!" she begged hardly able to speak through her tears.

"Go out with some other guy behind my back will you?"

"What do you expect? I love him a lot more than I've ever loved you!" she cried. The hits started to get more painful and she was sure she was bleeding by now.

Eithan thought about that statement. An evil smile spread across his face. He hit her again as hard as he could then stopped to lean down to her ear again while she sobbed. "You love him more than me do you? Well how about I bring him down here for one last good-bye?"

Her eyes got wide as he said this. She was all of a sudden more angry than scared. She turned over to look at him. "Don't you dare pull Braden into this!" she exclaimed suddenly.

Eithan chuckled. "Feisty aren't we?"

Fidella wasn't amused by his sarcasm. "You can hurt me however much you want to but don't touch him!"

"Oh believe me, I will. Now get up!"

She struggled to get up but felt so weak from being hit so much she fell back down. He then grabbed her ponytail and yanked her up. He grabbed her neck and held the knife to it.

"I'm going to make a phone call, and if you say one word, _one word_, you die. Do you understand?" he said menacingly.

She nodded wanting to curse him out so badly but kept her mouth shut.

Eithan forced her to give him Braden's number and he called him.

"Hello?" said the voice on the other end.

"Hello Braden," Eithan said calmly.

"Who is this?" Braden said the confusion clear in his voice.

"That much doesn't matter right now. The point is our girlfriend is in trouble."

It took everything Fidella had to keep her mouth shut at that point.

"_Our_ girlfriend?" Braden repeated. Then he immediately knew who was on the other end.

"Be at her apartment in ten minutes or the girl dies." Then he hung up. He turned back to Fidella. "Very good Fidella, looks like you're learning some obedience."

Braden drove up to Fidella's apartment as fast as he could despite New York traffic. He knew Eithan had her hostage. He didn't want to imagine what he was doing to her but every time he thought it just made him angrier.

He regretted being stupid enough to think Eithan was gone. He came back last time, why shouldn't he have thought he'd come again once the police thought he was gone? He should have gone with his gut and not left her last night and he'd never forgive himself if something happened to her.

When he got there, he ran up the stairs after waiting to long for the elevator. To his surprise, the door was unlocked and when he opened it, he expected the worst, something worse than before. What he saw was Eithan holding Fidella down with a menacing look on his face and Fidella looking utterly terrified.

"Get the fuck off of her!" he shouted.

"Braden run, it's a trap!" she exclaimed.

Eithan smacked her. "Didn't I say be quiet?" He lowered his knife and turned to Braden. "Braden, we finally meet." He held out his hand. "Eithan Johns."

Braden grabbed Eithans hand and twisted it making him cringe in pain and loosen his grip on Fidella but he didn't let go of her. "Didn't I tell you to let go of her?"

"Well, rude much. Let's get back to the point, why did you steal my girlfriend?"

"She broke up with you. It's not you're business anymore and you have no right to hurt her like this. I'm gonna tell you one more time, _let go of her_."

"It doesn't work like that big shot, and I'm not done talking to you."

"Well guess what, I am."

Eithan was starting to get frustrated, this wasn't going anywhere. He just wanted to be done with this guy and take his revenge on the two of them. He pushed Fidella onto the floor and she cried as she hit her head.

That was it! Braden couldn't take seeing her like this anymore. He tried to come to her but Eithan stepped in front of her, just barely missing stomping on her face. Then he punched Braden. Braden punched him back and they swung back and forth.

Fidella wanted to join in the fight. Braden shouldn't have to take this guy alone and she was the reason this was going on anyway, but she felt too weak and brittle at the moment she could barely stand as it was, the only reason she could earlier was because Eithan was holding her up.

Braden knocked Eithan onto the floor and she moved just before they could fall on her. Braden punched Eithan and Eithan knocked Braded over. Then Eithan managed to get up and Braden as well. Eithan punched Braden so hard he nearly hit the wall before he caught himself.

That's when the horror happened. While Braden was regaining his balance, Fidella saw Eithan pull out a gun and aim it at Braden. Her eyes got wide. He was not about to do this!

"NO…!"

_BAM! _

Braden let out a yell and then he fell, blood was oozing from his side.

Fidella stared wide eyed for a moment not believing what just happened. She blinked hoping she would wake up from this nightmare but when she opened her eyes Braden was still on the floor covered in blood. She started to crawl over to him tears immediately falling from her eyes. "Braden!"

"Fidella, you're next."

Fidella froze where she was, two feet in front of Braden. She didn't turn around but she knew Eithan was raising his gun to her about to shoot her next. She cringed, waiting, her heart beating fast.

Nothing happened.

"What the fuck?" Eithan found that there were no more bullets left in the gun.

Fidella sighed with relief. Her eyes darted back to Braden. Not only was there hurt, sadness, and fear in her eyes, there was anger. Anger building up greater and greater by the moment. She desperately wanted to kill Eithan for this. If she can't be happy than neither can he!

But how would she kill him? He'd catch her if she tried anything. Then she saw his knife a few feet away from her. She needed a distraction. She wiped her eyes and turned back to Eithan.

"How could you be happy with yourself for this?"

"Because, I'm me and he took you away from me."

"So what, you're gonna kill me now too? If you are do it, or are you too scared?" she threw in a mocking grin for a good measure. The whole time she was talking she was slowly moving over to the knife which stuck out form under the couch. Apparently he didn't see it.

"You think I'm scared of you Fidella. Please. I've told you you're weak, what reason would I have to be scared of you? You're just a wimpy bitch."

She was in reach of the knife now. "If I'm so weak prove to me that you can beat me easily." Wait for it Fidella.

What Eithan didn't know, was that his mistake was his pride. "Alright then! I'll show you, you bitch!"

He ran at her. At that moment she grabbed the knife and held it out and he stopped in his tracks just a foot from the knife point. "Fidella…what are you doing?" he said getting nervous.

"Getting worried?" she said. She slowly stood up wiping the water from her eyes with her free hand as she did. She stepped towards him and he backed up, the fear was evident on his face. He had no weapon and he was up against a crazy woman with a knife two inches from his face.

She was practically shaking with anger. Adrenaline ran through her like never before. She had the same menacing look on her face that he always did. "You've abused me for over two years. You force me to lie to my friends and family. You've made me so depressed I never thought I'd be happy again."

"Fidella put down that knife."

"Then, when for the first time, something good comes into my life; you take it away from me!"

Eithan was still backing away from her now fearing for his life more than ever.

"For that Eithan Johns…you'll pay!"

"Fidella, there's something you should know, I've always loved you. Don't kill me, we can run off together, just you and me. Don't kill me!"

"You expect me to believe that shit?"

"Fidella…!"

Suddenly Fidella jumped him. She landed on top of him on the floor pinning him down. She raised the knife. Utter terror was evident on Eithan's face. Then she stabbed the knife into his arm and turned it. He let out a scream. She pulled the knife out of him. He was breathing heavily, blood gushed from his arm where she stabbed him. He'd be dead in a matter of minutes.

"Why don't you just kill me to make it quick?" Eithan managed to choke out.

"Oh I could do that," she smirked. "Or how about I let you suffer?" She showed him the long but healing scar he let on her arm from a couple weeks ago. "Remember you did this to me? You wanna know how it feels?"

"No…!"

Then she slashed his right arm the same way he did hers and he let out an earsplitting scream of agony. Then she cut his left arm. Then she leaned down to his ear while he writhed in pain under her. "Good luck in hell…bitch."

In less than thirty seconds, he was dead.

She sat there staring at him for a second. Then she just sighed. She didn't feel any better now that she'd killed Eithan. This wouldn't end her pain. This didn't bring Braden back. She turned back to her boyfriend and a tear dripped down her cheek. She crawled back over to him and brushed her hand across his cold cheek. Her tears dripped onto his nose. "Braden…I'm sorry…this is my fault." Her hand shook as it ran through his thick hair. It broke her heart to see him dead. Tears started to fall and she cried uncontrollably. She kissed his lips one last time. "I love you." She put her head on his chest and cried her heart out.

She felt his chest rising up and down but figured she just wanted him back so badly she was imagining things. It kept going and she realized he was breathing. She sat up and stared wide eyed with half relief and half surprise. "You're…you're alive?" She leaned down to feel his breathing and then checked his pulse. He was breathing slowly, like he was struggling, but he was very much alive. "OH MY GO YU'RE ALIVE!" she shouted.

* * *

Heh, um, more cliff hanger? I understand if you hate me now...

Oh no. Braden's dead! Pshhh...


	8. Finally Happy

Finally Happy

She was about to jump up and call the ambulance when there was a knock on the door.

"This is the police!"

"And the paramedics."

Fidella wondered how they knew but then reasoned that a neighbor must've called. She tried to speak but couldn't find her voice through her tears.

They came through the open too and gasped at what they saw. A dead man on the floor, a crying woman, and another dead man across the room.

"What happened here ma'am?" the police asked.

Fidella ignored him. Her only concern was ensuring that Braden lived. She turned to the paramedic who'd brought a stretcher with him. "Please, help him!" she said pointing to Braden. "He's still alive!"

They put Braden on the stretcher. "What about that guy?" the paramedic asked.

"He's dead."

"I'll send backup," he said. He said something into his walkie talkie. Then exited with Braden.

Fidella was about to follow but the police stopped her. "I'm gonna need you to stay for questioning ma'am."

Fidella shook her head. "No, I have to go. You can question the hell out of me later, but I _need_ to be with him." She was wiping tears out of her eyes as she spoke trying to control herself.

The police looked at her for a second then let her go seeing how distressed she was and said he'd be there tomorrow to talk to her.

She got in the ambulance and sat next to Braden. An oxygen mask was over his face and his chest went up and down slowly struggling to keep him alive. She took his hand and kissed it. "Hang in there sweetheart, you're gonna be okay."

"There's a fair chance he'll live," the doctor said. She just noticed him sitting across from her.

"I hope so." She sighed. "I hope he forgives me…it's my fault he's here."

"We've had many cases like this where people think it's their fault their loved ones were hurt. You can't blame yourself." Fidella didn't say anything, she just sat there, looking at Braden's dying form once again dripping her tears onto his nose.

The doctor cleared his throat trying to make conversation to make her feel the least bit better. "So, I take it he's your husband?"

Fidella looked up at him. "No, my boyfriend. We've been going out for about three months until…now…"

"Don't give up hope. I know how you're feeling right now. My wife…" he let his voice trail off not wanting to bring back bad memories.

"I'm sorry," she said sympathetically.

They were now at the hospital. Fidella followed them to the critical condition wing.

"Sorry ma'am you can't come in here," another doctor said before closing the door to the operating room.

Fidella sat down on the bench outside and cried feeling like she'd just hit rock bottom. She cried harder than ever. In the little time that she'd known him, she already felt closer to him than to anyone. It seemed amazing to her that just a couple weeks ago they were at the beach sharing that salty soft pretzel. He was the one thing that made her happy and kept her hopes up for a better future. She knew she'd never be happy again if he died. And it was her fault. She'd always known deep down that Eithan would eventually find her. She put not only herself, but both of them in danger by agreeing to go out with him in the first place.

It seemed like she'd been drowning in her own misery for eternity when her phone rang. "H-hello?" she choked out.

"Hi Della…what's wrong?" Fianna asked sensing she was crying.

"I…I'm at the hospital," Fidella said. She figured the charade had gone on too long and she had to at least tell her sister. It didn't matter anymore. Braden was right, they would've found out eventually.

"WHY? What happened? Are you okay?" Fianna sounded like she was starting to hyperventilate.

"Fianna…just come over here." She felt like she'd start crying if she tried to explain anything.

"'Kay. Bye!" Fianna hung up.

Fidella put her head in her hands and cried some more.

"Fidella?"

She looked up and saw Fianna, Yasmin, Jade, Cloe, and Gabrielle in front of her.

Yasmin sat down. "Fidella what happened?"

Fidella couldn't speak. She sat there for a moment trying to control her tears before she spoke. "I've been…completely dishonest with all of you. I've been lying about everything for the longest time."

"What are you talking about?" Gabrielle said. "Is your name really Fidella?"

"It is, I have her birth certificate," Fianna said.

Fidella would've made some snide comment about what Fianna said but decided to leave it at that. "About Eithan, I didn't exactly break up with him. I left him, without him knowing."

"Why?" Jade asked.

"Because he…he abused me! He'd been abusing me since the beginning of our relationship and I couldn't leave…until that day. He threatened me if I ever came back but then he ignored the whole situation for two whole months. That's when I was dating Braden..."

"So you didn't lie about Braden?" Cloe asked.

"No, you met him once, remember?"

"Oh yeah."

"Eithan came into my house one day, after seeing the two of us at the beach together. He did this to me," she showed them the scars on her arms. "He was gonna kill me until Braden came in and rescued me. I stayed at his house for a few days then went back home the next week. Eithan came back, he beat me up, he told Braden to come rescue me then…then he shot him!" She put her head back in her hands and cried. She could hardly get those last words out.

Fianna sat next to her sister not wanting believe she'd been hiding all of this. She hugged her. "Fidella, you should have told me."

"I-I c-couldn't."

"Fidella I'm sure Braden's gonna live," Gabrielle said. "He's a strong man right?"

"Yeah really why are you worrying?" Jade said. "Maybe if it were ten bullets and a steamroller you'd have a reason to worry." Cloe giggled at that one.

Despite how their comments sounded, they were all completely innocent and supposedly encouraging. Fidella couldn't listen to this though. They didn't understand the…emotional turmoil she was going through. The more they talked the more annoyed she got and finally she couldn't take it anymore.

"SHUT UP!" she shouted.

Everyone got silent at her outburst. Even people around the hospital got quiet. A nurse pushing a man with a flesh eating disease even stopped walking to listen.

"You guys just _don't get it_! It's _my_ fault he's here! If it weren't for me he wouldn't be here. I knew Eithan would come after us, but I agreed to be with him for my own damn needs. _I'm_ the reason he's here!" Her eyes had tears in them that threatened to fall and her voice cracked as she talked but she wouldn't let them see her cry. "I wouldn't be surprised if he does live that he leaves me! And if he dies then I'll guarantee you I will NEVER be happy again! How the hell do I know if he will ever forgive me for this? I'll lose him either way and I'll go on my whole life knowing I'm the reason the only man I've ever fucking loved is dead!" She put her head in her hands to hide her face from the nosey people in the hospital who were watching. The more she thought about this she believed it, he won't forgive her.

Yasmin turned her face to her. "You really think all this is _your_ fault?" she asked in disbelief of what was running through Fidella's head. Fidella nodded. "Fidella if this is anyone's fault it's that bastard Eithan's fault. He would've gone after you either way and there was nothing you can do about it. Braden is going to live, I know he will, but you can't go on your whole life blaming yourself for this."

Fidella didn't say anything and so they sat in silence for what seemed like forever.

Then the paramedic came out looking solemn.

"Well?" Cloe said hopefully.

"He just barely lived."

Fidella nearly crapped a brick she was so relieved. "Can I go see him?"

"Sure. He'll be unconscious for a while but you can definitely see him."

Fidella looked at her friends indicating if they wanted to come.

"You go on Fidella, we'll wait out here," Fianna said.

Fidella went into the room and the first thing she noticed was the heart rate meter beeping steadily. That was good. She saw Braden lying on the bed with his eyes closed hooked up to a bunch of gadgets. She took a deep breath and sat in a chair next to the bed. She took his hand and ran her thumb up and down it. She didn't know how long she sat there with tears running down her face and eventually drying on her cheeks. She didn't know what she'd say when he woke up, apologize first maybe then…she'd make it up as he went on.

He looked helpless and feeble lying in that hospital bed. She wasn't used to this, he always looked so strong and confident, ready to stick up for her if he needed to, like earlier that day. He didn't run when she told him the whole set up was a trap, he stood his ground and tried to protect her not caring if he got hurt in the process. This only added to her thinking it was her fault he was there. She tried to hold onto what Yasmin had said to her but her own negative thoughts crept into her mind and pushed them away.

She figured she had somehow been blessed with good fortune to have him at least alive, maybe not in the best condition but alive. She'd take advantage of this and remember this day for as long as she lived even though she'd try to forget it in the future. Whenever she'd get mad at him she'd remember how lucky she was and it would be over. She let a small smile come onto her face for a brief second as she thought about her love for him and she felt like she loved him even more as she sat there. She realized she could never let him go after this, no matter what. She'd do whatever she could from this point on to keep him with her and out of the danger she'd put him in that day. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him for good. She'd hold onto him for as long as she could, even when he didn't want to stay, she'd hold onto him.

Suddenly his eyes fluttered open snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Braden?"

He looked next to him with half-lidded eyes. "Della?"

Fidella smiled and kissed his hand that was still in hers.

"Della, are you okay?" he asked concerned.

Fidella frowned. "Am I okay? _Am I okay_? You just got shot! You almost died! You're really asking me if _I'm_ okay?"

Braden stared at her blankly. "Yeah, are you okay?"

"Are _you_ okay damnit?"

Braden chuckled. "Same old Della."

"Answer me!"

"Yeah I'm okay. I feel like someone just hit me with a wrecking ball but I'm okay."

"Braden…I'm so sorry…"

Braden raised his eyebrow. "Why are _you_ sorry? Last time I checked you didn't shoot me."

She felt her eyes well up with tears again. She found it amazing that she had enough tears left to cry at this point. "But it-it's my fault. I knew Eithan would come after us, I agreed to go out with you anyway, and here we are."

Braden pulled the bed sheets back. "Lay next to me." She did as he told her and the pulled the sheets back over them. He looked into her eyes and said to her seriously. "You love me right?"

She nodded. "Yes."

He wiped her eyes. "And you know I love you?"

"Uh huh."

"And you went out with me because you wanted to be with me even though you knew that he'd come after you either way?"

"Mm hmm."

"So who gives a damn about him? It wasn't your fault because he would've done it anyway, and you know it. We're together. And nothing else matter's right?"

Fidella nodded. "Better me than you though."

"Don't say that." He placed his hand on her cheek and she put her arms around him.

"I don't know what I would've done if I'd lost you," she whispered.

"I'm here now, Eithan's gone, you don't have anything else to worry about," he whispered back.

"Kiss me," she said with a smile.

Braden placed his lips on hers as she told him and she deepened it. He couldn't have ever imagined how grateful she was for him.

Back outside they were still sitting there waiting impatiently.

"Oh my god how long had she been in there?" Gabrielle asked.

Jade checked her watch tiredly. "Twenty minutes."

"What, did they mission impossible themselves out of the window and leave town?" Gabrielle said.

"Gabs that's ridiculous," Yasmin said.

"C'mon you guys, she was really worried about him, cut her some slack," Fianna said.

"Maybe we should check on them to make sure Gabrielle wasn't right," Cloe said.

"Hmmph, they'd better not be doing what I think they're doing," Gabrielle said. They opened the door and found Fidella and Braden asleep in each other's arms with the covers over them. "See! I told you! They were having sex in here! They don't even," she removed the blanket from over them and found that they were both fully clothed. "…have clothes on."

Yasmin crossed her arms. "What have I told you about jumping to conclusions like that?"

"Let's just leave them alone," Fianna said. Gabrielle put the covers back over them and they left the room.

A year later…

Fidella sat on the rooftop of her apartment building on the swing with Braden.

Everything was over. Eithan was long dead. Braden was alive and still hers. She had no more secrets to keep. She felt happier than she ever felt in her life. Everything else had finally fallen into place.

So much had happened since that day, that terrible day that she remembered so well. Cloe got married, Gabrielle dropped out of college to be an actress (everyone was mad at her for that at first) so she was in L.A. now and was about to be in a movie. She finally got herself a car (and had Braden's knowledge of cars to help her pick it out). Jade fell for Braden's friend Koby _big_ time. She and Braden had had a great relationship ever since and had grown so much closer, they loved each other more than anything and everyone knew it by how obvious thy made it. Also, the two of them had plans for Fidella to move in with him which they were both exited about.

"Do you remember that day we first met Braden?" Fidella asked.

Braden chuckled at the memory. "How could I forget that? You were walking down the street like a homeless person…"

Fidella laughed also. Her situation hadn't been funny but the way he described it, it was. "I _was_ homeless. And what about you approaching me like some stalker?"

"Consider me doing you a favor."

"You did do me a favor, the best favor I've ever had."

Braden kissed her deeply. "I love you Fidella." He took her hand, which held her diamond engagement ring.

"I love you too."

They kissed again filling each other with love. Braden slid his hand down her side to her leg and ran it up and down a few times raising Goosebumps on her. He got more aggressive with their kiss and she started to push him back when she felt this. He slid his hands up to her shoulders and kept them there then turned his attention to her neck. She let out a soft moan and he soon kissed her cheek back to her mouth. She got just as aggressive as before grateful she still had the smell and taste and feel of him in her mouth that she always craved.

They sensed they were losing control of themselves (like they always do at the wrong place and time) and broke the kiss off. Braden gave her one last quick kiss then she rested her head on his shoulder.

Fidella toyed around with a loose string on her pants and Braden twisted her hair, which was still really long, in his fingers. Then he pulled it. She gave him a look of fake anger. "Braden!" He just laughed and pulled it again. "I'm gonna get you!" She said standing up.

"You have to catch me first." He smacked her butt then ran.

"Why you…!" Fidella ran after him back inside the apartment laughing along with him.

And so, Fidella and Braden were finally happy.


End file.
